Leader Chris Lane has big day at Palatka elite bass event

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PALATKA — There was no keeping up with Chris Lane during the second day of the Bassmaster Elite on the St. Johns River.

Lane, the 2012 Bassmaster Classic champion, climbed from 15th place to the lead on Friday, with a five-fish haul of 37 pounds, 9 ounces.

That’s the largest one-day weight the Guntersville, Ala., angler has ever achieved and gave him a two-day total of 56 pounds, four ounces.

That’s a 9-pound lead on fellow Alabama angler and first-day leader Randy Howell, who weighed in 20-2 on Day 2 of the four-day competition.

Lane said he fished more patiently on Friday and changed lures. The strategy yielded several big fish, including one that measured 9-12. In fact, he did so well, he arrived at the weigh-in 45 minutes early.

“When you have a day like I did, you just want to get back in,’’ Lane said.

Howell said the spawning beds that yielded 27-3 to him on Thursday are almost depleted of bass, and that too many competitors drifted closer to his best sports.

Howell is considering abandoning that area for Day 3, “unless something crazy happens overnight and a lot of new fish move in,’’ he said. “I was just grateful to catch 20 pounds out of that area today.’’

Justin Lucas, another Guntersville, Ala., angler, moved up from 12th to third place with a two-day weight of 44-11. That’s one ounce more than Mark Davis of Mount Ida, Ark., who started the day in 17th.

Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., caught the biggest fish of the day, and the tournament, at 10-10.

The top Floridian in the event, which offers a $100,000 first-place prize and automatic entry into the 2015 Bassmasters Classic, is Bobby Lane of Lakeland, who is 14th at 34-13. Terry Scroggins of Palatka is 50th at 28-14.

The field will take off at 7:30 a.m., Saturday from Riverfront Park. The weigh-in is 4 p.m. at the same location. There is no admission charge.